Mary Ann Crook, Elizabeth Kennedy, Lori Yokem, Amelia Craft and Sarah Nelson.

“Charles Beaird, Pat’s brother, was our original investor, backer and professional mentor to me for many, many years,” Alexander said. “We were partners for a long time. I’ve been associated with the Beaird family for all these years. It even goes back to when my father was minister of First Presbyterian Church.

Do you ever have a hunch or gut feeling where you are convinced, almost instantly, by feelings that you cannot always explain? Some folks call this intuition, which comes from the Latin word “intuir,” meaning “knowledge from within.